"Not the right move, but he got a suspension" - When Aaron Judge critiqued Josh Donaldson's alleged racist remarks but urged detractors to move on
Former New York Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson announced his retirement on Monday, drawing the curtain on a 13-year career. While his stint with the Bronx Bombers was plagued by injuries, the former AL MVP didn't help his cause with a controversy in 2022.
Donaldson was accused of hurling racial remarks at Chicago White Sox's Tim Anderson when the Yankees star called him 'Jackie', a reference to Jackie Robinson.
The former Blue Jays All-Star landed in hot water after his remark, despite claiming it was just a little joke as Anderson had compared himself to Jackie Robinson earlier.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge felt Josh Donaldson's remarks were disrespectful and wasn't the right thing to do. However, Judge urged the baseball world to move on from the incident since Donaldson was penalized for his actions with a one-game suspension.
"It's a tough one. Joke or not, I just don't think it's the right thing to do there, especially given the history, and the series in Chicago. . ... JD made a mistake, owned up to it, and now we've got to move on. But still, I just don't think it was the right move at all. But he got a suspension. Time to move on."
Injuries and inconsistency led to Josh Donaldson's retirement
The veteran third baseman's most notable stint came with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he claimed the AL MVP title in 2015. However, the three-time All-Star's decline was visible as he played for five teams over the last six seasons and was hoping for a reunion with the Blue Jays during the offseason.
Josh Donaldson spent the last season with the Milwaukee Brewers after the Yankees decided to release him following injury concerns and a string of underwhelming performances in the Bronx.
He announced his retirement on "The Mayor's Office with Sean Casey" podcast.
"I am going to announce my retirement from the game that I've dedicated my entire life around. It's sad because I'll be not able to go out and play the game I love anymore. But it's also a very happy time that I get to be around the family and kind of take the next chapter in life."